Stabilizer for boats



Nov. 20, 1962 1.. HUBICK STABILIZER FOR BOATS Filed April 21, 1961INVENTDR raw WWW ATTORNEY 3,054,613 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,613STABILIZER FOR BOATS Leonard Hubick, 10632 103st Ste. 1, Edmonton,Alberta, Canada Filed Apr. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 104,694 2 Claims. (Ci.114-121) This device relates to stabilizers for water craft and thelike.

The use of small boats of the motor or rowing variety has now becomewidespread. As a result of this widespread use, the number of accidentsinvolving overturned boats has increased considerably and it has beenfound, in a great many cases, that the overturning of the boat has beencaused by the occupants standing up in the boat and then losing theirbalance which causes the boat to overturn.

Other boat overturnings have come about from the boat being operated inrough water when loss of power occurs and where high Waves or winds havecaused the boat to be swamped.

The principal object of this device therefore is to provide astabilizing device that may be used to steady a boat or the like againstlateral or fore and aft movement.

An additional object is to provide a device that may be stored normallyin a boat and that may be dropped into the water at the sides of theboat to reduce the possibility of the boat tipping sideways.

A further object is to provide a stabilizing device that may be usedduring stormy weather or in rough water to keep the movement of the boatat right angles to the Wind and the waves and thereby reduce thepossibility of the boat being swamped when loss of control, eitherpowered or human, has occurred.

A still further object is to provide a stabilizing device that may benested with additional devices to occupy a minimum of space when stored.

A further object is to provide a stabilizing device that may bemanufactured from readily obtainable, low cost materials.

In drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a boat shown in phantom lines and withstabilizers at each side thereof.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged broken away view illustrating a stabilizer withan alternate rigid suspension mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of an alternate stabilizer construction.

In the drawings, I have shown a boat 1, in phantom lines, the boat beingof the type referred to generally as a row boat and of conventional sizeand shape.

The water surface on which the boat is floating is designated at 2 witha preferred form of stabilizing device indicated generally at 3 andattached at opposite sides of the boat.

Since the stabilizing devices 3 are identical in construction only oneof these devices will be described.

Each stabilizing device comprises frustrum body 3 constructed preferablyof sheet metal, although any other suitable material which will notdeteriorate in Water or which has been treated to prevent itsdeterioration in Water would be suitable.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the frustum body 3 is suspendedwith its largest side facing the boat 1, the suspension means comprisingthe chain arms 4 which are secured equidistantly around the periphery ofthe frustum body 3 at its largest side and which are joined togethercentrally as indicated at 5 for the attachment of the suspension chain6. The suspension chain is then secured by any suitable means at 7 tothe side of the boat 1.

It should be noted that while the attachment 7 of the suspension chainsto the boat is shown substantially at the equal weight distributionpoint, the attachment of the chains could be either in front of orbehind this point if desired to maintain the bow or stern of the boatinto the wind. At the same time it will be obvious that the chains couldbe secured either at the how 8 or stem 9 of the boat, if desired, thisattachment being most preferable during rough or stormy weather tomaintain the bow or stern into the wind and waves and prevent swampingof the boat.

While I have shown a suspension chain 6 with radial chain arms 4extending to the periphery of the largest side of the frustum body 3, itwill be obvious that a rigid suspension mechanism, as for example, a rodor the like, could be used in place of the flexible chain. Thisembodiment is illustrated in FIGRE 2 in the drawings where the rigid rod10 is connected at 11 to a radial arm 12 which is in turn secured at 13along the wall of the frustum body 3.

In addition, a pair of frustum bodies may be joined together at theirsmallest end as indicated in FIGURE 3 in the drawings with the rigidsuspension rod 10 secured with radial arms 12 as in the embodimentillustrated in FIGURE 2 to form a double acting device. At the sametime, it will be obvious that a single frustum body 3 in inverted formwith the smaller end at the top may be used whenever the rigidsuspension rod 10 and rigid radial arms 12 are used.

I do not consider it necessary to show any preferred method forattachment of the suspension chain 6 or rod 10 to the boat or to thefrustum body but it will be obvious that this attachment could be bestmade with suitable snaps or the like so that the body and chains or therod could be stored neatly when not in use.

In the attachment of the suspension chains, I have found it preferablyto use some form of reinforcement at the opposite edges of the frustumbody to provide adequate strength and to provide the chains tearingloose at their attachment point. In addition, I have found that wheneverthe frustum bodies are constructed of some light weight material, itbecomes necessary to add weights so that the bodies will sink rapidly inthe water at the sides of the boat.

While it will be obvious that the diameters of the frustum body willdepend largely on the size of the boat with which they are to be used, Ihave found a convenient size to be approximately 16 inches at thelargest diameter with the slope to the sides of the body beingapproximately 30 degrees and the narrow or restricted side of the bodyapproximately 2 to 3 inches. Further, the length of the suspension chainor rod is not arbitrary, but I have found that a length of two or threefeet below the surface of the water is quite satisfactory.

In operation the suspension chain 6 or rod 10 would be stowed in thebottom of the boat along with the frustum bodies while the boat was inmotion in the water. Whenever the boat was stopped and it was desired tostabilize the boat or maintain the boat pointed into the waves, it isonly necessary to attach the suspension mechanism to the frustum bodiesand to then toss the devices over the side of the boat or at the bow orstem where they will hang down at the sides of the boat in correctposition to provide adequate stabilization.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A stabilizer for boats and the like comprising a hollow frustum body,a rigid arm extending radially across the frustum body and secured atits ends to the body substantially midway along the wall of the body, arigid rodeonnected at one end to the center of the arm and extendingaway from the arm coaxial with the frustum body.

21 A stabilizer for boats and .the like comprising a pair of hollowfrustum body members joined at their narrow ends to form a cylinder witha constricted waist, an arm extending radially across each frustum bodymember and secured at its ends-substantially midway the wall of each 5frustum body member, a rigid rod secured to the centers of the armsan'd'extending away from the arms coaxial with thesaid frustum members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MillerJan. 6, 1903 Imaizumi Apr. 1, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS a.

Great Britain of 1903 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1943 a

